Method of making hinges



July 2l, 1953 E. H. BEvENs 2,645,341

IIETHOD OF MAKING HINGES Filed Sept. 5, 1946 ELM/a H. B5 VEN:

BY HIS ATTORNE Y6. HAR/us, K/i cH, F'Qsnsk Hman/s Patented July 21.,

UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,645,841 METHOD oF MAKING HINGES Elmer H. Bevens, Angeles, Calif. Applicationseptember 3,1946,sria1No.-6e4,499

My invention relates generally to hinge devices and particularly to an improved iiap hinge and method of making the same,

lHinge devices which are commonly employed for pivotally connectingvarious objects such as doors, covers and the like usually comprise a pair of complementary flaps or leaves having aligned 5 Claims. (Cl. 25J-'11) loops through which ahinge pin extends to pivotally connect the leaves, the ends of the hinge pin being headed or upset to retain the pin in place. It is essential that the hinge loops be accurately formed to provide relative rotation ofthe hinge leaves on the hinge pin and to avoid excessive looseness between the parts. The component parts of such hinges are usually assembled by aligning the loops of the leaves, inserting the hinge-pin and thereafter upsetting the ends of the pin to retain the parts in assembled relationship and this assembling operation is time-consuming and adds to the cost of the hinge device.

Various expedients have been proposed for eliminating the use of hinge'pins in hinges of the flap or leaf type whereby to reduce the` cost of the hinges to a minimum, one such hinge comprising a leaf member having an integral crossbar and an opening adjacent said crossbar, and a second leaf member having a loop-like ear hooked around the crossbar to pivotally connect the two leaves. While this type of hinge is relatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, it has been determined that the crossbar and the bearing loop are so formed that considerablevplay exists therebetween and thus the hinge is unsuitable for use where a secure and accurate hinger joint is required. It is therefore the primary ob`V ject of my invention to provide a hinge of the flap type in which one leaf member rhas acrossbarfof tubular cross section and the other leaf member has a :bearing loop curled around said tubular crossbar to embrace the same with an accurate fit whereby to permit free relative rotation between the hinge leaves while preventing excessive'looseness therebetween.

Another obj ect is to provide a hinge of the character referred to in which `the crossbar is formed as an integral part of one of the leaf members and located out of. the kplane of said leaf member to adapt the hinge to vbe' placed flat against the objects which arer to be hinged together.

Another object is to providea hinge of the type indicated which is extremelysimple in construction and which lends itself to mass'fproduction methods whereby to reduce its cost to a minimum.

.Another object is to provide a method of producingmy improved hinge, such method including eating my improved hinges from several steps which, when carried out in proper sequence, adapt the twofleaves of the hinge to b'e simultaneously fabricated froma single sheet or from separate sheets of material and assembled in hinged relationship without the use of a separate hinge-pin or other connecting element.

Another object is to provide a method of fabrieating and assembling the leaves of hinges in a continuous process and which includesthe steps of intermittently advancing a substantially continuous strip of material to present successive portions thereofto different stations or locations, said portions constituting blanks fromwhich said hinges are fabricated, providing apertures in` a blank at one location, severing the blank between said apertures longitudinally of the strip at another location to divide the blank into a rst and afsecond leaf member each having a projecting ear, providing a tab on said rst leaf member while insaid position, curling the ta-b and ear of Asaid first leaf member toward each other while the blank is at another location to providela tubular crossbar thereon and an opening adjacent said crossbar, `parting the second leaf ymember from the strip, moving the second leaf member toward said rst leaf member and simultaneously passing the ear of said second leaf member ythrough the opening of the first leaf member and curling said ear around saidcrossbar to pivotally connect said leaf members'while said :blank is located at another position, and lfinally parting the rst leaf member from the strip to complete the hinge. I

Further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawing, which is for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved hinge;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2,-,2V of Fig. l1; f

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through one of the Fig. 2; v j Y Fig. 4 is a composite plan view illustrating the various steps of the method employed when fabril a substantially continuous strip of material; 'l

Fig. 5 is ya cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Aand v Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View taken on line S-eBofFig. 4. Referring 'rst to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, myv improvedhinge l0 comprises a pair of leaf members Il and l2 constructed from sheet metal and provided with countersunk holes I3 and [4,

`hinge connectionataken on line 3--3y of respectively, through which attaching screws (not shown) may be inserted and screwed into the objects which it is desired to pivotally connect by means of the hinge. The leaf member AII has a pair of elongate openings I6 adjacent its inner end and the inner edges of the openings are bent upwardly and laterally to provide transversely extending semi-circular tabs I8. At its inner edge, in alignment with the tabs I8, `are transversely extending semicircular ears I9, the upper edges of which abut the upper edges of the ta'bs I8. The semicircular tabs IB and ears I9 together provide a pair of transversely spaced tubular crossbars arranged adjacent to the openings I6. The crossbars 20 are elevated from the plane of the leaf member II a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the metal of the leaf member as shown in Fig. 3. Each of the openings I6 may be formed by first punching a pair of transversely-spaced holes and thereafter slitting the metal between and tangentially of the holes to form, in effect, a three-sided slit, the material between the sides of the slit being adapted to be curled upwa-rdly out of the plane of the leaf member II to form the curved tab I8. In other cases, however, the metal may be formed with a U-shaped slit during the punching operation to provide the tab I8.

The companion leaf member I2 consists of a flat plate having a pair of transversely spaced ears projecting from its inner end or, in other words, from that end which is disposed adjacent the leaf member I I. The ears 25 are of a width slightly less than the length of the elongate openings I6 of the member I I to adapt them to be inserted therethrough. The ears 25, after passing through the openings I6, are curled or looped around the tubular crossbars 20 to form bearing loops 26 which completely encircle the c-rossbars with a relatively close fit, as shown in Fig. 2, to connect the leaf members for relative pivotal movement.

It is to be particularly noted that my improved hinge rIll is provided with pivotal connections comprising crossbars and bearing loops which are completely circular in cross section and thus a maximum bearing surface is effected and the leaf members II and I2 are prevented from tilting in a transverse direction. y The improved pivotalconnection between the leaf members is as efficient in operation as the usual pin-and-loop connections employed in previous types of hinges and, because of its simplicity, may be-produced more economically. While the drawing illustrates the hinge as including two crossbars 20 and bearing loops 26, it will be obvious that a single pivotal connection or fa plurality of such connections may be employed, depending primarily upon the size and shape of the hinge, it being understood that the leaf members may take other shapes than those herein illustrated when hinges of the common T .and strap types are to be made and that either member may be provided with an offset portion to adapt the hinge for use with panel type doors.

It has been explained that my improved hinge is adapted for mass production and my invention provides a preferred method for leffecting such manufacture. Preferably, the hinges I0 are fabricated from a single or pair of substantially continuous strips of sheet metal, the individual leaf members being struck up in suitable dies, parted from the remainder of the strips and assembled automatically to complete the hinges. Referring to Fig. 4, of the drawing, the method of producing the hinges is graphically illustrated as consisting of several preferred steps which are carried out in the manner indicated at A, B, C, D, E, F and G in this view. As shown in Fig. 4, by way of example, the complete hinges Ill which consist of the two leaf members II `and I2 are adapted to be fabricated from a substantially continuous strip 30 of sheet metal. The strip 30 may be advanced intermittently to present successive portions thereof to the stations or positions A to G, at which positions these portions are operated upon in step-by-step order to ultimately produce the finished hinge I0. The strip 30 may be advanced between operations by any suitable feeding means and the va-rious operations may be performed by any preferred fabricating means, the present invention being concerned only with the steps for carrying out the method and is not to be considered limited to any particular means for effecting the specific operations.

Assuming that the strip 3D has been advanced to locate a portion thereof at the position indicated at A, this portion which is bounded by the lateral edges of the strip and a pair of the longitudinally-spaced dot-and-dash lines 3| may be considered a blank 33 from which the complete hinge I0 is to be fabricated. After the blank 33 has been positioned at A it is pierced to provide rectangular apertures 36 and 31 which are spaced longitudinally of the strip 30, the aperture 36 being disposed at the center of the blank 33 while the apertures 31 are located on the boundary lines 3| between adjacent blanks. After being pierced at position A, the strip 30 is advanced to dispose the first blank 33 at station B and to position a second blank portion of the strip at A. At position B, the apertures 31 are widened by a piercing operation as indicated at 35 to provide relatively wide rectangular apertures or openings 3S. At this station the blank 33 is also punched to provide a plurality of attachment holes I3 and I4. At one side of the blank 33 between the holes I3, I4 and the apertures 35, 36 and 31 two pairs of holes 4I are punched. The apertures 36 and 38 and the holes I3, I4 and 4I may be punched or pier-ced in suitable dies in the manner well known to those versed in the art.

After being operated upon .at position B, the strip 30 is advanced a distance equal to the width 0f the blank 33 to dispose the first blank in the location indicated at C and to locate the next succeeding blank of the strip at position B. At position C the holes I3 and I4 of the blank 33 are countersunk and the metal between the holes 4I of each pair 0f holes is slitted as shown at 43 to provide the tabs I8 and elongate openings I6. The blank 33 is also slit between the apertures 36 and 38 longitudinally of the Strip 30 to divide the blank into the two leaf members II and I2 but at this point in the cycle of operations the leaf members remain attached to the next succeeding blank of the strip. With the two leaf members II and I2 thus defined, they are provided with the ears I9 and 25, respectively.

The strip 30 is next advanced to locate the first blank 33 at position D and at this juncture the tabs I8 and the ears I9 of the leaf member II are folded upwardly at substantially right angles to the plane of the member as shown best in Fig. 5 to partially form the crossbars 20.

After the strip has again been moved to dispose the first blank 33 at position E, the tabs I8 and the ears I9 are curled around toward each other in semicircular form and as their ends-'abut as shown inFig. ithe. tubular 'crossbars 20. of trueV circular cross section are pro- 3| between the firstY and second blanks' of thel series and, since this member was previously parted from its companion member II, it is free to be moved laterally relative to the leaf member I I. As the leaf member I2 is forced laterally toward the leaf member Il suitable forming dies (not shown) lact to curl the ears 25` of the member I2 upwardly through the openings I6 of the member I I and back toward the body portion of the member I2 to provide the arcuate bearing loops 26 which encircle the tubular 'crossbars 20 With a relatively close but freely rotatable fit.

With the two leaf members II and I2 thus hingedly connected, the strip 30 is finally advanced to locate the first blank 33 at the position indicated at G and at this stage in the operation the portion of the blank which forms the leaf member I I is severed along the boundary line 3l between the first and second blanks to part this member from the remainder of the strip 30 and to detach the finished hinge I0 from the strip.

Each of the several steps (A to G) of my method is preferably carried out on successive portions of the strip 30 in the sequence explained above to effect substantially continuous production of the hinges I. Since the two parts of the hinge are not only fabricated but assembled `during this process, the complete hinges are adapted to be produced in large quantities in a short period of time and thus the manufacturing cost of the articles is reduced to a minimum. It will be apparent to oneskilled in the art of fabricating sheet metal articles that the several steps of my method may be carried out automatically in .a machine having multiple stamping, perforating and forming dies. While the two companion leaves of my improved hinge have been described as particularly adapted for simultaneous fabrication from a single, substantially continuous strip of material, it is within the concept of this invention to make these parts either from a single sheet or from a pair of substantially continuous strips, the particular shape of the hinge to be produced being an important factor in determining the form oft-he metal stock to be employed.

While I have herein shown the improved hinge as embodied in a preferred form of construction and disclosed a preferred method. of producing the same, byy way of example, it Willbe understood that the construction of thehinge and the manufacturing process may be modified in various particulars without departing from the spirit of the invention. Consequently, I do not desire to be limited by the foregoing specification, but desire to be afforded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: f

1. A method of making iiaphin'ges from a substantially continuous strip of material, consisting in: piercing a portion of said strip'at spaced points longitudinallyr of' said strip to partially form aA pair of longitudinally spaced rectangular apertures While said portion is located at a; first position,l the materialbounded bythe edges* of said strip and lines drawn transversely of said strip through said apertures constituting. a hinge blank having areduced'portion 4between said apertures. advancing said strip to :locate saidv blank in a second position, completing the formation of said rectangular apertures and punching a pair of longitudinally spaced holes in said blank adjacent said reduced portion While said ,blank is in said second position, advancing said strip to locate said blank ina third position and thereafter slitting the material between said holes tangentially thereof to provide a substantially rectangular tab and severing said blank longitudinally of said strip between said apertures to divide said blank into affirst and a second leaf member each having an earformedby said re- Y duced portion and disposed in' the plane of said blank, said tab being disposed on said first leaf member, advancing saidstrip to locate said blank in a fourthposition and thereafter bending said tab and said ear of said first leaf member substantially normal to the plane thereof to provide a substantially rectangular opening adjacent said tab, advancing said strip to locate said blank in a Vfifth position and thereafter simultaneously curling said tab and said ear ofy said y first leaf member together to provide a tubular crossbar disposed above the plane of said blank, advancing 'said strip to locate said blank in' a sixth position and thereafter parting said second leaf member from said strip, moving said secondV leaf member laterally toward said iirst leaf member in a manner to cause its ear to pass under said crossbar and curlingv said ear of said second leaf member through said opening and around said crossbar to pivotally connect said first and second leaf members, advancing said strip and said second leaf member parted therefrom,'but secured thereto .by means of said first leaf member, to'v a seventh position and thereafter parting said first leaf member from said strip to complete the formation of said flap hinge, and successively advancing. and acting upon succeeding blank portions of said strip in a like manner to continuously produce flap hinges.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1' and including the steps of punching a plurality of attachment holes in' said' blank lwhile said blankr is in said second position, and countersinkir'igV said attachment holes while said blank is in said third position.

3. A method of making flap hinges from a substantially continuous strip of material, consisting in: piercing a portion of said strip ati spaced points longitudinally of said strip while said strip is located at' 'a' first position to partially form threev longitudinallyv .spaced rectangular apertures, the material bounded by the edges'of saidstrip and' lines drawn transversely" ofv said strip through alternate 'apertures constituting a hinge blank having transverse'L connectingy portions betweenr said apertures, advancing said strip to dispose said blank in a second position and thereafter completing the formation of said rectangularapertures, punching' a pair of rlongitudinally spaced holes in said" blankY adjacent each of said connecting portions whilesaid blank is inr said second position, ad-

vancing said strip-to locate saidl blank at ay third positionr and thereafter slitting the material between said holes of each"pair of holes tangentially thereof to provide a pair of substantially rectangular tabsand severing said con necting portionsof said yblank longitudinally of said strip between said; apertures to rdividev saidvl blanky into afirsti and'- a rsecond leaf' member' eachqjconnected to said `strip; and `each having a pair of ears formedrby said severed connecting portions and disposed in theplane of saidblank, said pair of ytabs being disposed `on said; first leaf member, r advancing said strip torlocate said blank at a fourth position and thereafter 'bending said tabs and said ears of said first leaf member substantially normal to the plane thereof to provide a substantially rectangular opening adjacent each of said tabs, advancing said strip to locate said blanklat a fifthposition and thereafter simultaneously curling adjacent tabs and ears of vsaid first leaf ymember together to provide apair of tubular'crossbars disposed above the plane of said first leaf member, advancing said strip to-locate said blank at a sixth position and thereafterl parting said second leaf member from saidV strip, and moving said second leaf member laterally'vtoward said first leaf meinber in a` manner to cause itsears to pass under saidcrossbars and curling said ears of said second leaf member through Asaid openings and around said crossbars to pivotally connect said first and second leaf members, advancing said strip to locate said blank at a'v seventh position and thereafter parting said first leaf member from said strip to complete the formation of said flap hinge, and successively advancing and acting upon succeeding blank portions of said strip in a like manner to continuously produce flap hinges.

4. A method of `making flaphinges rfrom a substantially continuous strip of material, consisting in:'piercing a Vportion of said strip at spaced points longitudinally of said strip while said strip is located at a first position to partially form a pluralit'yof longitudinally spaced apertures, the vmaterial bounded by the edges of said strip and lines drawn transversely of said strip through' certain of said apertures constituting a hinge'blank having transverse connecting portions' between said apertures, advancing said strip to dispose sai'dblank in a second position and' thereafter completing the formation of said apertures; `punching a pair of longitudinally spaced holes insaid blank adjacenteach of said connecting portions while said blank is in said second position, advancing said strip to locate saidblank at a third position and thereafter slitting the material between said holes of each pair of holes tangentially thereof to provide a plurality of IVsubstantially rectangular tabs and.

severing said connecting portions of said blank longitudinally of' said strip between said apertures to divide said blank into a first and a second leaf member each having a plurality of ears disposed in the plane of said blank and formed by said Ys'everedconnect'ing portions, said plurality'of tabs being disposed on said first leaf member, advancing said strip to locate Vsaid blank at a fourth position and thereafter bending said tabs and said ears of said first leaf member substantially normal to the plane thereof to provide a substantially rectangular opening adjacent each'of said tabs, advancing said strip to locate'said blank at a fifth position and thereafter curling Yadjaeent tabs and ears of saidffirst vleaf member together to provide a, plurality 'of tubular crossbars disposed above the planeof'vsaid` blank, advancing said strip to locate said blank'at Va. sixth position and thereafter parting saidsecond leaf member from said strip, moving said second leaf member laterally toward said first leaf member in a manner to cause its ears tdpass under said crossbars and 8L through said openings andcurling said ears lof said second `leaf member around said crossbars tov pivotally. connect said first and second leaf members,V advancingsaid strip toV locate said` blank at a seventh position andthereafter parting said first leaf member from said strip to complete the4 formation of said flap hinge. and successively advancingand acting upon succeeding, blank portionsof said strip in a like manner to .continuously produce flap hinges.

5; A method of making flap hinges from a substantially .continuous strip of material, consisting in: piercing a portion of said strip at spaced points longitudinally of said strip to partially form a pair of longitudinally spaced rectangular apertures Lwhile said portion is located at a first position, 'thenmaterialvbounded by the edges of said stripandlines drawn transversely of said strip through saidapertures vconstituting a hinge blank having a reduced portion between said apertures, advancing said strip to locate said blank in a second position, completing the formation of said rectangular apertures and punching a pair of longitudinally spaced holes in said blank adjacent said reduced portion while said blank is'in said second position, advancing said strip to locate said blank in a third position and thereafter slitting the material between said holes tangentially thereof to provide a substantially rectangular tab and severing said blank longitudinally of said strip between said apertures to divide said blank into a first and a second leaf member each having an ear formed by said reduced portion, the line of severance being beyond the ultimate edge of said first leaf member, said tab being disposed on said first leaf member, advancing said strip to locate said `blank in a fourth position and thereafter bending said tab and said ear of said first leaf member substantially normal to the plane thereof to provide a substantially rectangular opening adjacent said tab, advancing said strip to locate said blank in a fifth position and thereafter simultaneously curling said tab and said ear of said first leaf member together to provide a tubular crossbar disposed above Vthe plane of said blank, advancing said strip-to locate said blank in a sixth position and thereafter parting said second leaf member fromsaid strip, moving said second leaf member laterally' toward said first leaf member in a manner to cause its ear to pass under said crossbar and curling said ear of said second leaf member through said opening and around said crossbar to pivotally connect said first and second'leaf members, advancing said strip and said second leaf' member parted therefrom to a seventh position and thereafter parting said first leaf member from said strip to complete the formation of saidA flap hinge, vand successively advancing and acting upon succeeding blank portions of said strip in a like manner to continuously produce fiap hinges.

I ELMER. H. BEVENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,607 f Christensen Nov. 25, 

